The UK’s Network Rail has reopened the South West’s main Dawlish rail link following completion of eight weeks of repair works.
The west country’s main rail line had been closed, after the winter storms cut off the rail link between Cornwall, Plymouth and the rest of the UK.
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UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: "The impact of the extreme weather shows the importance of making our railways strong enough to weather any storm.
"That is why we announced a £31m package of improvements and asked Network Rail to examine every option to ensure the resilience of this route."
Around 300 engineers at Network Rail worked to rebuild and fortify the breach with more than 6,000t of concrete and 150t of steel for over two months.
About half of Dawlish station has been rebuilt with a new platform, new canopy and repainting done throughout, installation of more than 13 miles of new cables, a new temporary signalling system was fitted and in excess of 700m of track and ballast was replaced.
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By GlobalDataEngineers will now focus on fully restoring the signalling and electronic equipment, remove the shipping container temporary sea wall, and rebuild Brunel’s original sea-wall at the breach site using original stone and craftsmen repairing.
Additional work includes restoring the public footpath on the seaward side to reopen the coastal path from Dawlish to Teignmouth and rebuild the road at Riviera Terrace.
Image: The repaired Dawlish station. Photo: courtesy of Network Rail.
